You need to see the first fire meteor shower of 2026
It's a new year and a hot Quadrantid meteor shower is expected. Here's how to see this often spectacular rainstorm at its peak
The new year has arrived, and with it the Quadrantids. First meteor shower The year 2026 is known for its colorful fireballs and bolides—large meteors that explode spectacularly into the atmosphere, sometimes raining meteors down on the Earth below.
The Quadrantids are an annual shower that occurs from November to early January. This year, the Quadrantids peak during the night of January 3rd into the early hours of January 4th. Best viewed from the northern hemisphere, the perfect time to get outside and try to spot some of them. glowing fireballs According to NASA, this will happen in the predawn hours of January 4. Unfortunately, the full moon rises the night before, so moonlight may prevent you from seeing those shooting stars.
To have the best chance of spotting a meteor, look for the Quadrantid radiant, the point in the sky where they appear to originate. First observed in 1825, the meteor shower originates from an obsolete constellation called Quadrans Muralis, named by a French astronomer in 1795. It was removed from the list of the International Astronomical Union. official constellations in 1922. Instead, look for the Big Dipper, or Ursa Major, and look at the end of its handle.
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However, the Quadrantids do not come from the stars. Unlike other meteor showers, which are typically caused by debris from comets, the Quadrantids are produced by asteroid 2003 EH1. An asteroid discovered in 2003 may actually be a dead comet, NASA notes. Some astronomers believe there may be a second object that contributes meteor showerComet 96P/Machholtz.
If you can go outside early on January 4th, move as far as possible from bright light sources such as street lights and buildings. Give your eyes 30 minutes to adjust to the darkness and look up at the northern sky. Then just be patient!
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